BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS

Teacher drew on faces of kids who failed reading

'He was humiliated, he hung his head'

Published: 11/19/2012 at 12:15 PM

(TIMESUNION) — DECLO, Idaho – A fourth-grade teacher in southern Idaho is being criticized after having her students use permanent markers to draw on the faces of classmates who failed to meet reading goals.

Some parents and administrators say the punishments given to nine students in Summer Larsen’s class were inappropriate and left the children feeling shamed.

Cindy Hurst said recently her 10-year-old son came home from school Nov. 5 with his entire face – including his eyelids – scribbled on with green, red and purple markers.

“He was humiliated, he hung his head and wanted to go wash his face,” Hurst told The Times-News of Twin Falls. “He knows he’s a slow reader. Now he thinks he should be punished for it.”